Fault finder for moving-picture machines



D. P. SMEDLEY.

FAULIHNDER FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES. MPUCAUON FELEDYMAR. 29, 1921.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

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INVENTOR WITNESS:

D. P. SMEDLEY.

FAULT FINDER FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I92I' 1,405,343. Patented Jan. 31,1922.

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17.1. fi anedZey INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

DANIEL P. SMEDLEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

FAULT FINDER FOR MOVING-PICTURE MACHINES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

This invention relates to improvements in moving picture machines, the principal object of the invention being to provide means for stopping the feeding of the film into the machine if the said film should be defective, thus preventing-further damage to the film.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for breaking the circuit to the motor if either perforated edge of the film should be damaged or if the film is out of adjustment in relation to the feeding mechanism.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the location of the invention on a moving picture machine.

Figure 2 is a similar view but taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the attachment.

Figure 4 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 5 is a sectional view, .on line 5-5 of Figure 2, with the parts in operative position. I

Figure 6 is a similar view with parts in 1noperative position.

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view showing how the discs are secured to the wheel.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the contacts and the means for bridging the same for the initial starting of the device.

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the contacts as being bridged by the manually operated member.

In these views 1 indicates a portion of the upper magazine from which the film A passes to the feeding means 2 arranged n Specification of Letters Iatenti Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

Application filed; March 29, 1921. Serial No. 456,726..

the case 3. I locate my invention adjacent the top of the case on the left hand side thereof so as to' stop the film before it reaches the light aperture.

The device comprises a housing 4 which is suitably secured to the case 3, the drawing showmg it being connected with the case by thetubular part 5. This tubular part pro- 3 vides a bearing for a hollow shaft 6 and a shaft 7 passes through the hollow shaft, both shafts entering the housing 4. A sprocket 8 is connected with the shaft 6 and a sprocket 8 is connected with shaft 7, these sprockets being spaced apart and arranged to engage the perforations in the film so that the two shafts will be rotated by the movement of the film. Within the housing 4 are arranged a pair of wheels 9 and 9',

the wheel 9 being secured to and insulated from shaft 7 and the wheel 9 being secured and insulated from shaft 6. A plurality of discs. 10 are eccentrically pivoted to each wheel adjacent the periphery thereof so that when the wheels are revolving the discs will move outwardly under the action of centrifugal force, as shown in Figure 5, but when the wheels are stationary the discs will move, under the action of gravity, into the positions shown in Figure 6. Two pairs of curved contacts 11 and 11 are mounted in the upper part of the housing 4, the contacts being insulated from the housing and one pair'of contacts 11 being arranged over the wheel 9 and the other pair 11 over the wheel 9 so that when the wheels are rotating the discs thereon will engage the contacts. The contacts of eachpair are separated from each other and one contact of each pair is electrically connected with the motor B and its battery C, as shown in Figure 2. The remaining contacts are elctrically connected together, as shown at 12 in Fi re 8.

- It will thus be seen that when the wheels are stationary and their discs are not in en'- gagemen-t with the contacts the circuit to the motor will be broken at the spaces between the contacts but as soon as the wheels are revolved sufficiently to throw the discs into engagement with the contacts the spaces between the contacts will be bridged so that the circuit will be completed from the battery through one pair of contacts and a wheel and its disc, through the other air of contacts and the other wheel and isc to the motor. Thus as long as the film is actuating both the sprockets 8 and 8' current will flow to the motor and the apparatus will operate in the usual manner. However, if the fihn should be defective or get out of proper alignment either one or both of the sprockets will cometo rest thus causing the discs to disengage the contacts and so break the circuit to the motor. The entire apparatus would then cease to operate and the fire shutter will cut ofl the light rays from the film and thus prevent fire.

I prefer to place the sprockets '8 and 8 below the top sprocket 2' of the apparatus,-

as shown in Figure 1, thus preventing the film from stopping at the light aperture.

1 provide means for bridging the gaps between the contacts for the initial starting of the machine. Such means consisting of block 13 which is carried by a stem 14 which passes through the housing 4, the block being adapted to bridge the spaces between the contacts. A spring 15, located in a small housing 16 on the housing 4, tends to hold the block 13 above the contacts and in inoperative position. An operating rod 17 is connected with the stem 14 and extends over the picture machine to the right hand side thereof where it can be easily manpulated by the operator. Thus the block 13 can be lowered to complete the circuit to the motor for the initial starting of the machine and then as soon as the wheels revolve fast enough to throw their discs against the contacts the operating rod can be released to permit the spring to raise the block 13 into inoperative position. 'The device is then ready to operate to stop the apparatus if a defective film is in the upper magazine.

By this invention imperfect filmswill not be fed through the machine so that damage to the film is avoided. Machines as now constructed will allow a film to ass through the machine and slit the fihn f r some distance before being caught. If the sprocket holes in the film are torn, oneither edge, or film splits, my double actionspi ocket will catch the imperfection before any damage is done and my invention also eliminates any danger of fire. L

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A fault finder for moving picture ma chines comprising a" pairof sprockets over which the fihn is passed, a shaft connected with each sprocket, terminals located in the circuit of the machine and means connected with the shafts and actuated by centrifugal force for bridging the terminals when the shafts are rotated.

tuated by centrifugal force. for bridging the terminals when the shafts are rotated, such means consisting of a plurality of discs eccentrically mounted on each 'wheel.

3. A fault finder for moving picture machines comprising a pair of sprockets over which the film is passed, a shaft connected with each sprocket, a wheel connected with each shaft, a pair of spaced terminals located over each wheel and inthe circuit of the machine, means on the wheels, actuated by centrifugal force, for bridging the spaced terminals, when the shafts are rotated, such means consisting of a plurality of discs eccentrically mounted on each wheel and manually operated means for bridging the terminals for the. initial starting .of the machine.

4. In combination with a movin icture apparatus, a fault finder arranger? t ereon at the upper end of the case containing the fihn actuating mechanism said fault finder including a pair of sprockets for engaging the film after it leaves the first sprocket of the feeding mechanism and means connected with said sprockets for breaking the circuit to the motor when either orboth sprockets come to rest but keeping the circuit closed as long as said sprockets are being rotated by the film, said circuit breaking means including a shaft connected with each sprocket, terminals located in the circuit of the machine and centrifugal means connected with the shafts for bridging the terminals when the shafts are rotated.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature.

DANIEL P. S ED EY. 

